Publications

effects of climate change on ticks and tick-borne diseases in europe.	zoonotic tick-borne diseases are an increasing health burden in europe and there is speculation that this is partly due to climate change affecting vector biology and disease transmission. data on the vector tick ixodes ricinus suggest that an extension of its northern and altitude range has been accompanied by an increased prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis. climate change may also be partly responsible for the change in distribution of dermacentor reticulatus. increased winter activity of i ...	2009	19277106
a novel sphingomyelinase-like enzyme in ixodes scapularis tick saliva drives host cd4 t cells to express il-4.	tick feeding modulates host immune responses. tick-induced skewing of host cd4(+) t cells towards a th2 cytokine profile facilitates transmission of tick-borne pathogens that would otherwise be neutralized by th1 cytokines. tick-derived factors that drive this th2 response have not previously been characterized. in the current study, we examined an i. scapularis cdna library prepared at 18-24 h of feeding and identified and expressed a tick gene with homology to loxosceles spider venom proteins ...	2009	19292772
effects of rickettsia conorii infection on the survival of rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks.		2009	19298397
rickettsia rickettsii, rickettsia felis and rickettsia sp. twkm03 infecting rhipicephalus sanguineus and ctenocephalides felis collected from dogs in a brazilian spotted fever focus in the state of rio de janeiro/brazil.		2009	19298400
molecular investigations of rickettsia helvetica infection in dogs, foxes, humans, and ixodes ticks.	rickettsia helvetica, a tick-borne member of the spotted-fever-group rickettsiae, is a suspected pathogen in humans; however, its role in animals is unknown. the aims of this study were to establish a r. helvetica-specific real-time taqman pcr assay and apply it to the analysis of tick vectors (to determine potential exposure risk) and blood samples from canidae and humans (to determine prevalence of infection). the newly designed 23s rrna gene assay for r. helvetica was more sensitive than a pu ...	2009	19329665
evaluation of the acaricide activity of thymol on engorged and unengorged larvae of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1808) (acari: ixodidae).	the present work was aimed at evaluating the in vitro efficacy of thymol on engorged and unengorged larvae of rhipicephalus sanguineus. in order to perform the study, unengorged larvae were interleaved on filter paper (2 x 2 cm) recently sprayed with thymol in the following concentrations: 0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%. for each concentration, ten repetitions of 50 larvae each were performed. a control group was established (water + dmso) together with a positive control group (amitraz), wit ...	2009	19330353
population dynamics of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latrielle, 1806) in belo horizonte, minas gerais state, brazil.	rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks are distributed throughout the world, especially in those areas in which dogs are in close contact with humans. r. sanguineus and fleas are regarded as the main ectoparasites infesting dogs in brazil. besides causing direct damage during the blood feeding process, this tick species can also transmit pathogens to dogs and humans. despite its importance in brazil, data regarding the seasonality of r. sanguineus are limited, especially with regard to natural infestati ...	2009	19339119
the relationship between spotted fever group rickettsiae and ixodid ticks.	spotted fever group rickettsiae are predominantly transmitted by ticks. rickettsiae have developed many strategies to adapt to different environmental conditions, including those within their arthropod vectors and vertebrate hosts. the tick-rickettsiae relationship has been a point of interest for many researchers, with most studies concentrating on the role of ticks as vectors. unfortunately, less attention has been directed towards the relationship of rickettsiae with tick cells, tissues, and ...	2009	19358804
analysis of the rickettsia africae genome reveals that virulence acquisition in rickettsia species may be explained by genome reduction.	the rickettsia genus includes 25 validated species, 17 of which are proven human pathogens. among these, the pathogenicity varies greatly, from the highly virulent r. prowazekii, which causes epidemic typhus and kills its arthropod host, to the mild pathogen r. africae, the agent of african tick-bite fever, which does not affect the fitness of its tick vector.	2009	19379498
attachment of nymphal rhipicephalus sanguineus (acari: ixodidae) to a human in an urban area followed by severe adverse reaction shortly before drop-off.	a case of attachment and complete engorgement of a rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) nymph on a woman with severe pain shortly before nymphal drop-off is described. the pain continued for about 2 weeks after tick removal. apparently, this is the first documented case of human adverse reaction developed at the very last stage of engorgement of nymphal r. sanguineus. the infestation most likely took place inside the enclosed household garden in the southern area of jerusalem where the wom ...	2009	19391333
emerging arthropod-borne diseases of companion animals in europe.	vector-borne diseases are caused by parasites, bacteria or viruses transmitted by the bite of hematophagous arthropods (mainly ticks and mosquitoes). the past few years have seen the emergence of new diseases, or re-emergence of existing ones, usually with changes in their epidemiology (i.e. geographical distribution, prevalence, and pathogenicity). the frequency of some vector-borne diseases of pets is increasing in europe, i.e. canine babesiosis, granulocytic anaplasmosis, canine monocytic ehr ...	2009	19403239
incongruent effects of two isolates of rickettsia conorii on the survival of rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks.	rickettsia conorii, the etiologic agent of mediterranean spotted fever is widely distributed in southern europe, the middle east, africa, india and the caspian region. in the mediterranean region, the brown dog tick, rhipicephalus sanguineus, is the recognized vector of r. conorii. to study tick-pathogen relationships and pathogenesis of infection caused in model animals by the bite of an infected tick, we attempted to establish a laboratory colony of rh. sanguineus persistently infected with r. ...	2009	19421877
canine leishmaniosis in south america.	abstract : canine leishmaniosis is widespread in south america, where a number of leishmania species have been isolated or molecularly characterised from dogs. most cases of canine leishmaniosis are caused by leishmania infantum (syn. leishmania chagasi) and leishmania braziliensis. the only well-established vector of leishmania parasites to dogs in south america is lutzomyia longipalpis, the main vector of l. infantum, but many other phlebotomine sandfly species might be involved. for quite som ...	2009	19426440
canine babesiosis: from molecular taxonomy to control.	abstract : canine babesiosis is a clinically significant emerging vector-borne disease caused by protozoan haemoparasites. this review article considers recent literature pertaining to the taxonomic classification of babesia and theileria species affecting dogs and the geographical distribution of these parasites. the diagnosis of canine babesiosis by traditional, molecular and serological methods is reviewed, together with recent advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of piroplasm ...	2009	19426443
new developments in canine hepatozoonosis in north america: a review.	abstract : canine hepatozoonosis is caused by hepatozoon canis and hepatozoon americanum, apicomplexan parasites transmitted to dogs by ingestion of infectious stages. although the two agents are phylogenetically related, specific aspects, including characteristics of clinical disease and the natural history of the parasites themselves, differ between the two species. until recently, h. canis infections had not been clearly documented in north america, and autochthonous infection with h. america ...	2009	19426444
wild canids as sentinels of ecological health: a conservation medicine perspective.	abstract : the extinction of species across the globe is accelerating, directly or indirectly due to human activities. biological impoverishment, habitat fragmentation, climate change, increasing toxification, and the rapid global movement of people and other living organisms have worked synergistically to diminish ecosystem function. this has resulted in unprecedented levels of disease emergence, driven by human-induced environmental degradation, which poses a threat to the survival and health ...	2009	19426446
influence of temperature on the attachment of rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks on rabbits.		2009	19438617
experimental infection of rhipicephalus sanguineus with rickettsia conorii conorii.		2009	19438618
transmission of rickettsia conorii conorii in naturally infected rhipicephalus sanguineus.		2009	19438619
rapid screening and cultivation of ehrlichia canis from refrigerated carrier blood.		2009	19438630
molecular detection and identification of ehrlichia and anaplasma species in ixodid ticks.	a polymerase chain reaction (pcr) assay followed by partial sequencing of the 16s ribosomal rna gene was performed for the presence of ehrlichia and/or anaplasma. a total of 242 ixodid ticks were collected from domestic ruminants and their shelters, as well as humans, and their individual salivary glands were dissected out for dna. from the 242 ticks analyzed, six (2.47%), comprising three hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, one rhipicephalus bursa, and two rhipicephalus sanguineus, were positive. o ...	2009	19247690
antibody responses of domestic animals to salivary antigens of triatomainfestans as biomarkers for low-level infestation of triatomines.	hematophagous arthropods such as triatoma infestans, the vector of trypanosoma cruzi, elicit host-immune responses during feeding. characterization of antibody responses to salivary antigens offers the potential to develop immunologically based monitoring techniques for exposure to re-emergent triatomine bug populations in peridomestic animals. igg-antibody responses to the salivary antigens of t.infestans have been detected in chickens as soon as 2 days after the first exposure to five adult bu ...	2009	19248784
action of the chemical agent fipronil on the reproductive process of semi-engorged females of the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) (acari: ixodidae). ultrastructural evaluation of ovary cells.	the ovary of the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus consists of a wall of epithelial cells and a large number of oocytes in five different developmental stages (i-v), which are attached to the wall by a pedicel. the present study provides ultrastructural information on the effects (dose-response) of the acaricide fipronil (frontline) on ovaries of semi-engorged females of r. sanguineus, as well as it demonstrates some possible defense mechanisms used by oocytes to protect themselves against this chem ...	2009	19250957
79-year-old man with fever, malaise, and jaundice.		2009	19252117
molecular documentation of bartonella infection in dogs in greece and italy.	this study reports the occurrence of "bartonella rochalimae" in europe and the presence of bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii genotypes ii and iii in dogs in southern italy and provides dna sequencing evidence of a potentially new bartonella sp. infecting dogs in greece and italy.	2009	19261798
toward diagnosing leishmania infantum infection in asymptomatic dogs in an area where leishmaniasis is endemic.	the most frequently used diagnostic methods were compared in a longitudinal survey with leishmania infantum-infected asymptomatic dogs from an area of italy where leishmaniasis is endemic. in february and march 2005, 845 asymptomatic dogs were tested by an immunofluorescence antibody test (ifat), a dipstick assay (ds), and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) for l. infantum and by ifat for ehrlichia canis. dogs seronegative for l. infantum were further parasitologically evaluated by mic ...	2009	19129471
prevalence of rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks on dogs in a region on the mexico-usa border.		2009	19136688
transmission of cytauxzoon felis to a domestic cat by amblyomma americanum.	cytauxzoon felis was transmitted to a domestic cat by amblyomma americanum. the infection was produced by the bite of a. americanum adults that were acquisition fed as nymphs on a domestic cat that naturally survived infection of c. felis. fever, inappetence, depression, and lethargy were first noted 11 days post-infestation (dpi). pale mucus membranes, splenomegaly, icterus, and dyspnea were also observed during the course of the disease. the body temperature of the experimentally infected c. f ...	2009	19168288
molecular analysis of ixodes granulatus, a possible vector tick for borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in taiwan.	the genetic identity of ixodes granulatus ticks was determined for the first time in taiwan. the phylogenetic relationships were analyzed by comparing the sequences of mitochondrial 16s ribosomal dna gene obtained from 19 strains of ticks representing seven species of ixodes and two outgroup species (rhipicephalus sanguineus and haemaphysalis inermis). four major clades could be easily distinguished by neighbour-joining analysis and were congruent by maximum-parsimony method. all these i. granul ...	2009	19184580
conservation and immunogenicity of the mosquito ortholog of the tick-protective antigen, subolesin.	the control of arthropod vectors of pathogens that affect human and animal health is important for the eradication of vector-borne diseases. the ortholog of the tick-protective antigen, subolesin, was identified in aedes albopictus and found to have conserved epitopes in ticks and mosquitoes. rna interference with the tick and mosquito double-stranded rna in three tick species resulted in significant gene knockdown and decreased tick weight and/or survival. feeding anopheles atroparvus, aedes ca ...	2009	19229557
the parasite fauna of stray domestic cats (felis catus) in dubai, united arab emirates.	two hundred forty feral domestic cats trapped between 2004 and 2008 in the city centre and the suburb districts of dubai, as well as in desert biotopes, were subjected to a complete parasitological dissection. the established parasite fauna consisted of cystoisospora felis (12.9%), cystoisospora rivolta (9.2%), toxoplasma/hammondia (0.8%), heterophyes heterophyes (2.5%), heterophyopsis continua (0.4%), joyeuxiella spp. (65.8%), diplopylidium noelleri (37.1%), hydatigera taeniaeformis (16.7%), ta ...	2009	19238440
rocky mountain spotted fever in dogs, brazil.	clinical illness caused by rickettsia rickettsii in dogs has been reported solely in the united states. we report 2 natural clinical cases of rocky mountain spotted fever in dogs in brazil. each case was confirmed by seroconversion and molecular analysis and resolved after doxycycline therapy.	2009	19239764
infection and replication of bartonella species within a tick cell line.	bartonella species are fastidious, gram negative bacteria, some of which are transmitted by arthropod vectors, including fleas, sandflies, and lice. there is very little information regarding the interaction and/or transmission capabilities of bartonella species by ticks. in the present study, we demonstrate successful infection of the amblyomma americanum cell line, aae12, by seven bartonella isolates and three candidatus bartonella species by electron or light microscopy. with the exception of ...	2009	19242658
allopatric speciation in ticks: genetic and reproductive divergence between geographic strains of rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus.	the cattle tick, rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus, economically impact cattle industry in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. the morphological and genetic differences among r. microplus strains have been documented in the literature, suggesting that biogeographical and ecological separation may have resulted in boophilid ticks from america/africa and those from australia being different species. to test the hypothesis of the presence of different boophilid species, herein we perfo ...	2009	19243585
rickettsia helvetica in dermacentor reticulatus ticks.	we report on the molecular evidence that dermacentor reticulatus ticks in croatia are infected with rickettsia helvetica (10%) or rickettsia slovaca (2%) or co-infected with both species (1%). these findings expand the knowledge of the geographic distribution of r. helvetica and d. reticulatus ticks.	2009	19116063
experimental transmission of field anaplasma marginale and the a. centrale vaccine strain by hyalomma excavatum, rhipicephalus sanguineus and rhipicephalus (boophilus) annulatus ticks.	the cattle rickettsia anaplasma marginale is distributed worldwide and is transmitted by about 20 tick species, but only rhipicephalus simus, a strictly african tick species, has been shown to transmit the vaccine strain of a. centrale. the aim of the present study was to examine transmission of field strains of a. marginale and of the vaccine strain of a. centrale by three tick species -hyalomma excavatum, rhipicephalus sanguineus and rhipicephalus (boophilus) annulatus - to susceptible calves. ...	2009	18823724
mediterranean spotted fever in algeria--new trends.	mediterranean spotted fever (msf) due to rickettsia conorii is the most important tick-borne disease occurring in north africa. however, there are only a few fragmentary reports on the epidemiology and clinical aspects of rickettsioses in north africa, and cases are still rarely documented. we report herein a prospective study conducted in oran, the second largest city in algeria. this disease has not been properly described in oran or in other algerian cities.	2009	18930677
detection of coxiella burnetii in ticks collected from central spain.	a total of 1482 adult ticks collected from vegetation and animals in central spain in 2003-2005 were tested for the presence of coxiella burnetii by polymerase chain reaction and subsequent reverse line blot hybridization (pcr-rlb). c. burnetii was identified in 7.7% of questing ticks (80/1039) and 3.4% of ticks collected from animals (15/443) belonging to four species: hyalomma lusitanicum, dermacentor marginatus, rhiphicephalus sanguineus, and r. pusillus. these findings show an active role of ...	2009	18945192
molecular analysis of the rrna genes of babesia spp and ehrlichia canis detected in dogs from ribeirão preto, brazil.	the partial dna sequences of the 18s rrna gene of babesia canis and the 16s rrna gene of ehrlichia canis detected in dogs from ribeirão preto, brazil, were compared to sequences from other strains deposited in genbank. the e. canis strain circulating in ribeirão preto is identical to other strains previously detected in the region, whereas the subspecies babesia canis vogeli is the main babesia strain circulating in dogs from ribeirão preto.	2009	24031351
high prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in dogs from an indian reservation in northeastern arizona.	we evaluated the serological and molecular prevalence of selected organisms in 145 dogs during late spring (may/june) of 2005 and in 88 dogs during winter (february) of 2007 from the hopi indian reservation. additionally, in 2005, 442 ticks attached to dogs were collected and identified as rhipicephalus sanguineus. infection with or exposure to at least one organism was detected in 69% and 66% of the dogs in may/june 2005 and february 2007, respectively. exposure to spotted fever group (sfg) ric ...	2010	19469667
histopathology of rhipicephalus sanguineus (acari: ixodidae) ticks fed on resistant hosts.	histological features of rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks fed on dog, a non resistant host, and on guinea pig, a resistant host, were compared. unfed ticks and ticks from each host species were collected during first and third infestation and processed for histology. many ticks from guinea pigs, especially during third infestation, were unattached, dehydrated and small. only the midgut of ticks fed on guinea pigs had host leukocytes. vacuolization of midgut cells was observed in all ticks, with ex ...	2010	19554460
development and use of real-time pcr to detect and quantify mycoplasma haemocanis and "candidatus mycoplasma haematoparvum" in dogs.	two canine haemoplasma species have been recognised to date; mycoplasma haemocanis (mhc), which has been associated with anaemia in splenectomised or immunocompromised dogs, and "candidatus mycoplasma haematoparvum" (cmhp), recently described in an anaemic splenectomised dog undergoing chemotherapy. the study aim was to develop quantitative real-time pcr assays (qpcrs) incorporating an endogenous internal control to detect mhc and cmhp and to apply these assays to dna samples extracted from cani ...	2010	19646827
morpho-histochemical characterization of salivary gland cells of males of the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus (acari: ixodidae) at different feeding stages: description of new cell types.	this study describes the changes undergone by cells of the salivary glands of unfed and feeding (at day two and four post-attachment) rhipicephalus sanguineus males, as well as new cell types. in unfed males, types i and ii acini are observed with cells "undifferentiated", undefined 1 and 2 (the latter, with atypical granules), a, c1 and c3; type iii is composed of cells d and e; and type iv present cells g. in males at day two post-attachment, type i acini exhibit the same morphology of unfed i ...	2010	19582584
hard ticks on domestic ruminants and their seasonal population dynamics in yazd province, iran.	ticks are the main vectors for transmission of different pathogens to human and animals. this survey was performed to find out distribution of ticks, which infested the domestic ruminants in yazd province, central iran during year 2008-2009.	2010	22808391
ecological approaches to informing public health policy and risk assessments on emerging vector-borne zoonoses.	pathogens associated with vector-borne zoonoses occur in enzootic cycles within nature. they are driven by a combination of vertebrate host and invertebrate vector population dynamics, which in turn respond to changes in environmental stimuli. human involvement in these cycles, and hence the occurrence of human disease, is often to act as incidental host. from a public health perspective our ability to better predict human outbreaks of these diseases and prepare intervention and mitigation strat ...	2010	22460391
insights into shell deposition in the antarctic bivalve laternula elliptica: gene discovery in the mantle transcriptome using 454 pyrosequencing.	the antarctic clam, laternula elliptica, is an infaunal stenothermal bivalve mollusc with a circumpolar distribution. it plays a significant role in bentho-pelagic coupling and hence has been proposed as a sentinel species for climate change monitoring. previous studies have shown that this mollusc displays a high level of plasticity with regard to shell deposition and damage repair against a background of genetic homogeneity. the southern ocean has amongst the lowest present-day caco3 saturatio ...	2010	20529341
molecular detection of anaplasma platys in a naturally-infected cat in brazil.	following the accidental finding of inclusion bodies similar to anaplasma platys in a stained blood smear from a cat, dna analysis of the 16s rrna gene was performed and 100% identity was found with different strains of a. platys. these data confirm that cats are susceptible to parasitism by a. platys.	2010	24031508
evasin-3-like anti-chemokine activity in salivary gland extracts of ixodid ticks during blood-feeding: a new target for tick control.	ticks exploit many evasion mechanisms to circumvent the immune control of their hosts including subversion of the communication language between cells of the immune system provided by chemokines and other cytokines. one subversive molecule secreted in the saliva of rhipicephalus sanguineus is evasin-3, a structurally unique 7 kda protein that selectively binds the neutrophil chemoattractants, cxcl8 and (with lower affinity) cxcl1. we compared anti-human cxcl8 and anti-mouse cxcl1/kc activities i ...	2010	20500677
inhibitory action of neem aqueous extract (azadirachta indica a. juss) on the vitellogenesis of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) (acari: ixodidae) ticks.	the present study revealed unheard of data about the action of aqueous extracts of neem leaves (azadirachta indica) on the vitellogenesis of rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks, proving that these extracts in 10 and 20% concentrations do not have the potential to kill the females; however, in lower concentrations (10%) provokes great morphological alterations in germinative cells such as the emergence of extended cytoplasmic vacuolization areas as well as the fragmentation of the germinal vesicle, ev ...	2010	21194110
association between the prevalence of infestation by rhipicephalus sanguineus and ctenocephalides felis felis and the presence of anti-leishmania antibodies: a case-control study in dogs from a brazilian endemic area.	the association between the prevalence of infestation by rhipicephalus sanguineus and ctenocephalides felis felis and the presence of anti-leishmania antibodies has been evaluated in dogs located in a city of brazil endemic for canine visceral leishmaniasis. blood samples from 5556 domestic dogs domiciliated in the urban area of belo horizonte (minas gerais state) were submitted to enzyme linked immunosorbent (elisa) and indirect immunofluorescent antibody (ifat) assays, and 432 (7.8%) animals t ...	2010	20869131
pathogens and symbionts in ticks: a survey on tick species distribution and presence of tick-transmitted micro-organisms in sardinia, italy.	a total of 1485 adult ticks were collected from mammalian hosts in south-eastern sardinia, italy, during the years 2007-2008. ticks were identified and tested by pcr analysis for presence of rickettsia species of the spotted fever group, ehrlichia canis, anaplasma phagocytophilum, coxiella burnetii, bartonella species and leishmania species. among all tick species examined (rhipicephalus sanguineus, rhipicephalus turanicus, rhipicephalus bursa, rhipicephalus pusillus, hyalomma marginatum margina ...	2010	20884769
efficacy of a doxycycline treatment regimen initiated during three different phases of experimental ehrlichiosis.	doxycycline is the treatment of choice for canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (cme), a well-characterized disease and valuable model for tick-borne zoonoses. conflicting reports of clearance of ehrlichia canis after treatment with doxycycline suggested that the disease phase during which treatment is initiated influences outcomes of these treatments. the purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a 28-day doxycycline regimen for clearance of experimental e. canis infections from dogs treat ...	2010	20921310
prevalence, associated determinants, and in vivo chemotherapeutic control of hard ticks (acari: ixodidae) infesting domestic goats (capra hircus) of lower punjab, pakistan.	a total of 800 goats of various breeds, age, and sex were randomly selected from muzaffargarh (m. garh) and layyah districts of lower punjab, pakistan. the selected goats were visited twice a month to collect information about determinants influencing goat tick infestation prevalence. for acaricidal efficacy, 360 tick-infested adult goats were subjected to an acaricidal treatment and post-treatment quantitative assessment of tick burden. quantification of adult tick detachment 24 h post-treatmen ...	2010	20924608
ticks parasitizing humans in greece.	abstract in summer 2008, two fatal cases were observed in northeastern greece: a crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever (cchf) case (first report in greece) and a mediterranean spotted fever case. in total, 537 ticks removed from humans who referred for this reason to the two hospitals of the region during june-september 2008 were identified. the vast majority of them (81.5%) were rhipicephalus sanguineus, which is the main vector of rickettsia conorii, while hyalomma marginatum, the main vector of cch ...	2010	20925519
toxicity effect of the acaricide fipronil in semi-engorged females of the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) (acari: ixodidae): preliminary determination of the minimum lethal concentration and lc(50).	chemical acaricides, especially fipronil (active ingredient of frontline®), are still the most effective method to control tick populations. in this study, the effectiveness of fipronil was assessed in semi-engorged females of the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus. a protocol for an in vitro bioassay (ait) was developed, and the lc(50) (lethal concentration 50%) and 95% confidence interval were determined. ticks were immersed in petri dishes with different concentrations of fipronil or distilled wat ...	2010	20932830
survey of ticks (acari: ixodidae) and their rickettsia in an atlantic rain forest reserve in the state of são paulo, brazil.	the current study investigated the occurrence of ticks and their rickettsiae in the serra do mar state park, which encompasses one of the largest atlantic rain forest reserves of brazil. from july 2008 to june 2009, a total of 2439 ticks (2,196 free living and 243 collected on hosts) was collected, encompassing the following 13 species: amblyomma aureolatum (pallas), amblyomma brasiliense aragao, amblyomma dubitatum neumann, amblyomma fuscum neumann, amblyomma incisum neumann, amblyomma longiros ...	2010	20939390
occurrence of ticks (acari: ixodidae) on human hosts, in three municipalities in the state of pará, brazil.	assuming the existence of tick parasitism in humans in the state of pará, an aggregate observational study was developed along a transversal line in three cities of the state, during two years. interviews and examinations of 2,160 townspeople and tourists were carried out, without discrimination of ethnic, sex, age, or social status, and classified for effects analyzed for four bands of age, six types of activities in the society, and two sexes. larvae, nymphs, and adults of ticks had been ident ...	2010	20943016
rickettsial infections of dogs, horses and ticks in juiz de fora, southeastern brazil, and isolation of rickettsia rickettsii from rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks.	the present study was performed in an area endemic for brazilian spotted fever (bsf) in juiz de fora, state of minas gerais, brazil, during the years 2007 and 2008, when fatal cases of bsf (caused by rickettsia rickettsii) were reported. adult ticks (acari: ixodidae) identified as rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille) and amblyomma cajennense (fabricius) were collected from dogs and horses, respectively, and tested by polymerase chain reaction (pcr). overall, 13.1% of the rh. sanguineus ticks and ...	2010	20950356
rhipicephalus sanguineus on dogs: relationships between attachment sites and tick developmental stages.	the brown dog tick, rhipicephalus sanguineus, is the most widespread tick in the world and infests primarily domestic dogs. studies on the bio-ecology of r. sanguineus have been carried out worldwide, but little is known of the on-dog relationships of tick developmental stages and their possible role on tick feeding performance, reproduction and pathogen transmission. we studied the relationships between different developmental stages of r. sanguineus on particular body areas of naturally infest ...	2010	20957414
cytotoxic effects of permethrin in oocytes of rhipicephalus sanguineus (acari: ixodidae) fully engorged females: i. direct or indirect action of the acaricide in germ cells?	given the wide use of synthetic chemicals to control ticks, this study evaluated the effects of the permethrin pyrethroid on oocytes of rhipicephalus sanguineus fully engorged females in order to examine whether this compound, in addition to the proven neurotoxic effect, also acts directly on germ cells. the results revealed that permethrin effectively inhibits and/or interrupts the reproductive process of r. sanguineus. exposed oocytes exhibited prominent structural changes such as altered shap ...	2010	20960224
ixodid ticks in bosnia and herzegovina.	ticks of the ixodidae family represent an enormous threat to human and animal health. from january to december 2004, a total of 10,050 ixodid ticks were collected from 26 areas in bosnia and herzegovina and determined to the species level. ticks were collected from dogs, sheep, cows, goats, rodents, humans and plants. ixodes ricinus was the most prevalent species, followed by dermacentor marginatus marginatus, rhipicephalus bursa, hyalomma marginatum marginatum, rhipicephalus sanguineus, haemaph ...	2010	20967487
the complete mitochondrial genome of the citrus red mite panonychus citri (acari: tetranychidae): high genome rearrangement and extremely truncated trnas.	the family tetranychidae (chelicerata: acari) includes ~1200 species, many of which are of agronomic importance. to date, mitochondrial genomes of only two tetranychidae species have been sequenced, and it has been found that these two mitochondrial genomes are characterized by many unusual features in genome organization and structure such as gene order and nucleotide frequency. the scarcity of available sequence data has greatly impeded evolutionary studies in acari (mites and ticks). informat ...	2010	20969792
fipronil-induced cell death in salivary glands of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) (acari: ixodidae) semi-engorged females.	the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus is currently considered an urban plague. for this reason many studies are intended to find methods to control these ectoparasites. thus, the present study analyzed the ultrastructural modifications of the salivary glands cells of semi-engorged females of r. sanguineus resulting from their exposition to fipronil (active ingredient of frontline®). the studied individuals were divided into four groups. group 1 was exposed to distilled water (control) and groups 2, ...	2010	20974132
permethrin-induced ultrastructural changes in oocytes of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) (acari: ixodidae) semi-engorged females.	currently, the most effective method for tick control is by the use of chemical acaricides such as permethrin (active ingredient of the advantage(-«) max3 acaricide, bayer), a pyrethroid with neurotoxic action. however, data about its effect on other tick systems, such as glandular and reproductive, are still scarce. this study provides ultrastructural details of the toxic effects induced in oocytes of semi-engorged rhipicephalus sanguineus females exposed to 206, 1031, and 2062 ppm of permethri ...	2010	21771518
coinfections of rickettsia slovaca and rickettsia helvetica with borrelia lusitaniae in ticks collected in a safari park, portugal.	borrelia and rickettsia bacteria are the most important tick-borne agents causing disease in portugal. identification and characterization of these circulating agents, mainly in recreational areas, is crucial for the development of preventive measures in response to the gradually increasing exposure of humans to tick vectors. a total of 677 questing ticks including dermacentor marginatus, rhipicephalus sanguineus, ixodes ricinus, hyalomma lusitanicum, h. marginatum, and haemaphysalis punctata we ...	2010	21771525
expression of heat shock and other stress response proteins in ticks and cultured tick cells in response to anaplasma spp. infection and heat shock.	ticks are ectoparasites of animals and humans that serve as vectors of anaplasma and other pathogens that affect humans and animals worldwide. ticks and the pathogens that they transmit have coevolved molecular interactions involving genetic traits of both the tick and the pathogen that mediate their development and survival. in this paper, the expression of heat shock proteins (hsps) and other stress response proteins (srps) was characterized in ticks and cultured tick cells by proteomics and t ...	2010	22084679
meeting the challenges of on-host and off-host water balance in blood-feeding arthropods.	in this review, we describe water balance requirements of blood-feeding arthropods, particularly contrasting dehydration tolerance during the unfed, off-host state and the challenges of excess water that accompany receipt of the bloodmeal. most basic water balance characteristics during the off-host stage are applicable to other terrestrial arthropods, as well. a well-coordinated suite of responses enable arthropods to conserve water resources, enhance their desiccation tolerance, and increase t ...	2010	20206630
application of highly sensitive saturation labeling to the analysis of differential protein expression in infected ticks from limited samples.	abstract:	2010	20704695
rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae in traveler from egypt.		2010	20735946
occurrence of hepatozoon sp. in dogs in the urban area originating from a municipality in southeastern brazil.	the occurrence of hepatozoon sp. infection in dogs was evaluated in the urban area of uberlândia, minas gerais, brazil. the study involved 300 animals, 120 from the veterinary hospital of the federal university of uberlândia's faculty of veterinary medicine, 80 from private clinics, and 100 from the animal protective association (apa). among these animals, 7.66% presented hepatozoon sp. gamonts inside neutrophils. no statistically significant difference was found among the diagnoses based on cap ...	2010	20810218
absence of rickettsia rickettsii and occurrence of other spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks from tennessee.	rocky mountain spotted fever (rmsf) is the most common tick-borne illness in tennessee. little is known about the occurrence of r. rickettsii, the causative agent, in ticks in tennessee. to better understand the prevalence and distribution of rickettsial agents in ticks, we tested 1,265 amblyomma, dermacentor, and ixodes adult and nymphal ticks. additionally, we tested 231 amblyomma americanum larvae. ticks were collected from 49 counties from humans, wild animals, domestic canines, and flannel ...	2010	20810834
progress and obstacles in vaccine development for the ehrlichioses.	ehrlichia are tick-borne obligately intracellular bacteria that cause significant diseases in veterinary natural hosts, including livestock and companion animals, and are now considered important zoonotic pathogens in humans. vaccines are needed for these veterinary and zoonotic human pathogens, but many obstacles exist that have impeded their development. these obstacles include understanding genetic and antigenic variability, influence of the host on the pathogen phenotype and immunogenicity, ...	2010	20822349
therapeutic effects of evasin-1, a chemokine binding protein, in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.	cc chemokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (ipf). few studies have evaluated the efficacy of therapeutically targeting cc chemokines and their receptors during interstitial lung diseases. in the present study, the therapeutic effects of evasin-1, a tick-derived chemokine-binding protein that has high affinity for ccl3/mip-1α, was investigated in a murine model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis. ccl3/mip-1α concentrations in lung homogenates increas ...	2010	20833968
tick-borne rickettsioses, neglected emerging diseases in rural senegal.	rickettsioses are one of the most important causes of systemic febrile illness among travelers from developed countries, but little is known about their incidence in indigenous populations, especially in west africa.	2010	20856858
association of pathogen strain-specific gene transcription and transmission efficiency phenotype of anaplasma marginale.	efficient transmission of pathogens by an arthropod vector is influenced by the ability of the pathogen to replicate and develop infectiousness within the arthropod host. while the basic life cycle of development within and transmission from the arthropod vector are known for many bacterial and protozoan pathogens, the determinants of transmission efficiency are largely unknown and represent a significant gap in our knowledge. the st. maries strain of anaplasma marginale is a high-transmission-e ...	2010	20308303
bm86 homologues and novel ataq proteins with multiple epidermal growth factor (egf)-like domains from hard and soft ticks.	tick control on livestock relies principally on the use of acaricides but the development of acaricide resistance and concerns for environmental pollution underscore the need for alternative control methods, for instance through the use of anti-tick vaccines. two commercial vaccines based on the recombinant bm86 protein from rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus ticks were developed. partial protection of the bm86 vaccine against other rhipicephalus (boophilus) and hyalomma tick species suggests t ...	2010	20647015
an insight into the sialotranscriptome of the brown dog tick, rhipicephalus sanguineus.	rhipicephalus sanguineus, known as the brown dog tick, is a common ectoparasite of domestic dogs and can be found worldwide. r.sanguineus is recognized as the primary vector of the etiological agent of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis and canine babesiosis. here we present the first description of a r. sanguineus salivary gland transcriptome by the production and analysis of 2,034 expressed sequence tags (est) from two cdna libraries, one consctructed using mrna from dissected salivary glands from ...	2010	20650005
multiplex real-time qpcr for the detection of ehrlichia canis and babesia canis vogeli.	ehrlichia canis and babesia canis vogeli are two tick-borne canine pathogens with a worldwide importance. both pathogens are transmitted by rhipicephalus sanguineus, the brown dog tick, which has an increasing global distribution. a multiplex quantitative real-time pcr (qpcr) assay for the simultaneous detection of the tick-borne pathogens e. canis and b. canis vogeli was developed using dual-labeled probes. the target genes were the 16s rrna of e. canis and the heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) of ...	2010	20674177
amblyomma imitator ticks as vectors of rickettsia rickettsii, mexico.	real-time pcr of amblyomma imitator tick egg masses obtained in nuevo leon state, mexico, identified a rickettsia species. sequence analyses of 17-kd common antigen and outer membrane protein a and b gene fragments showed to it to be r. rickettsii, which suggested a potential new vector for this bacterium.	2010	20678325
azadirachta indica a. juss (neem) induced morphological changes on oocytes of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) (acari: ixodidae) tick females.	many studies have been conducted with plants whose extracts have the potential to be used for pest control. one of these plants is azadirachta indica (neem), whose main active ingredient is azadirachtin, a compound shown to have acaricide and insecticide activity. rhipicephalus sanguineus (brown dog tick) is currently considered to be an "urban pest," because of its high levels of infestation and its ability to attack humans. in the present study partially and fully engorged r. sanguineus female ...	2010	20685201
crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever in european part of turkey: genetic analysis of the virus strains from ticks and a seroepidemiological study in humans.	abstract a survey of ticks from domestic ruminants, together with a serosurvey in humans was conducted in thrace (northwestern turkey) to evaluate the prevalence of crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever virus (cchfv) in ticks and humans. more prevalent ticks were hyalomma marginatum, hyalomma aegyptium, rhipicephalus bursa, and rhipicephalus (boophilus) annulatus, with low numbers of dermacentor marginatus, rhipicephalus sanguineus group, and ixodes ricinus. no differences in the tick faunal compositi ...	2010	21028961
rhipicephalus microplus salivary gland molecules induce differential cd86 expression in murine macrophages.	abstract:	2010	21054882
effects of ricinus communis oil esters on salivary glands of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) (acari: ixodidae).	this study showed the interference of esters extracted from ricinus communis in the secretory cycle of salivary glands of rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks, which consequently caused collateral effects on their feeding process. ticks attached on hosts which were fed with commercial feed containing different concentrations of r. communis oil esters suffered damages such as cytoplasmic changes in their salivary glands, notably in the acinar cells, impairing the functioning of the acini and accelerati ...	2010	21070769
effects of ricinoleic acid esters from castor oil of ricinus communis on the vitellogenesis of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) (acari: ixodidae) ticks.	this study examines the effects of ricinoleic acid esters from ricinus communis castor oil on the vitellogenesis of rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks attached to hosts that were fed with commercial rabbit food containing these esters. the oocytes of ticks from the treatment group (tg) showed cytoplasmic changes that inhibited the development of oocytes i and ii to the advanced stages (iv and v) in addition to preventing the maturation of oocytes v, resulting in small ones. in addition, sperm was no ...	2010	21070770
seasonal variation in the effect of climate on the biology of rhipicephalus sanguineus in southern europe.	rhipicephalus sanguineus is the most widespread tick in the world and a vector of many pathogens infecting dogs and humans. to date, there have been no investigations on the biology of r. sanguineus under natural mediterranean climatic conditions.	2010	21078221
sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the gp200 protein of ehrlichia canis from dogs in taiwan.	ehrlichia (e.) canis is a gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium responsible for canine monocytic ehrlichiosis. currently, the genetic diversity of e. canis strains worldwide is poorly defined. in the present study, sequence analysis of the nearly full-length 16s rdna (1,620 bp) and the complete coding region (4,269 bp) of the gp200 gene, which encodes the largest major immunoreactive protein in e. canis, from 17 taiwanese samples was conducted. the resultant 16s rdna sequences were foun ...	2010	21113103
prevalence of ixodid ticks on cattle and sheep southeast of iran.	a survey was carried out to investigate the prevalence of hard tick species (acari: ixodidae) on cattle and sheep southeast of iran. a total of 972 ticks were collected from 280 infested cattle and 1,207 ticks were collected from 632 infested sheep during activating seasons of ticks in 2008-2009. the species collected from cattle were hyalomma marginatum marginatum (50.92%), hyalomma anatolicum excavatum (25.61%), hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum (8.12%), hyalomma asiaticum asiaticum (1.85%), and ...	2010	21113660
efficacy of deltamethrin (butox® 7.5 pour on) against nymphs and adults of ticks (ixodes ricinus, rhipicephalus sanguineus) in treated hair of cattle and sheep.	ticks are known to be able to transmit a broad spectrum of agents of diseases in cattle or sheep. therefore, measurements are needed to keep ticks away from the body of any ruminant belonging to the agricultural life stock. the present study dealt with investigations to measure the efficacy of the insecticide deltamethrin (butox® 7.5 pour on) against specimens of two important species (ixodes ricinus and rhipicephalus sanguineus). four sheep and four young cattle were treated lege arte along the ...	2010	21113726
rickettsia in synanthropic and domestic animals and their hosts from two areas of low endemicity for brazilian spotted fever in the eastern region of minas gerais, brazil.	the aim of this study was to understand the current epidemiology of rickettsial diseases in two rickettsial-endemic regions in brazil. in the municipalities of pingo d'agua and santa cruz do escalvado, among serum samples obtained from horses and dogs, reactivity by immunofluorescent assay against spotted fever group rickettsiae was verified. in some serum samples from opossums (didelphis aurita) captured in santa cruz do escalvado, serologic response against rickettsiae was also verified. polym ...	2010	21118939
infrequency of rickettsia rickettsii in dermacentor variabilis removed from humans, with comments on the role of other human-biting ticks associated with spotted fever group rickettsiae in the united states.	abstract from 1997 to 2009, the tick-borne disease laboratory of the u.s. army public health command (usaphc) (formerly the u.s. army center for health promotion and preventive medicine) screened 5286 dermacentor variabilis ticks removed from department of defense (dod) personnel, their dependents, and dod civilian personnel for spotted fever group rickettsiae using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. rickettsia montanensis (171/5286 = 3.2%) and ricke ...	2010	21142953
bartonella infection in shelter cats and dogs and their ectoparasites.	abstract mainly through vector transmission, domestic cats and dogs are infected by several bartonella spp. and represent a large reservoir for human infections. this study investigated the relationship of prevalences of bartonella infection in shelter dogs and cats and various ectoparasite species infesting them (fleas, ticks, and lice). moreover, relationships between bartonella infection and animal gender and age and presence of ectoparasites were analyzed. blood samples were collected from 1 ...	2010	21142966
rickettsial infection in domestic mammals and their ectoparasites in el valle de antón, coclé, panamá.	the present research evaluated the presence of rickettsia spp. on ectoparasites of horses and dogs (using pcr techniques), and their sera (using immunofluorescence assay) in el valle de antón town in panama. a total of 20 horses and 20 dogs were sampled, finding four species of ectoparasites on dogs (the ticks rhipicephalus sanguineus, amblyomma ovale, amblyomma oblongoguttatum, and the flea ctenocephalides felis), and two tick species on horses (amblyomma cajennense and dermacentor nitens). dna ...	2010	21144663
ticks infesting wildlife species in northeastern brazil with new host and locality records.	from september 2008 to march 2010, 397 ticks (315 larvae, 33 nymphs, 23 females, and 26 males) were collected from captive and free-living wildlife species in northeastern brazil. six tick species were identified, including amblyomma auricularium (conil) on tamandua tetradactyla (l.), amblyomma dubitatum neumann on hydrochaeris hydrochaeris (l.), nectomys rattus (pelzen) and t. tetradactyla, amblyomma parvum aragão on t. tetradactyla, amblyomma rotundatum koch on boa constrictor l., chelonoidis ...	2010	21175080
molecular epidemiology of crimean- congo hemorrhagic fever virus genome isolated from ticks of hamadan province of iran.	crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever (cchf) virus is a tick-borne member of the genus nairovirus, family bunyaviridae. cchfv has been isolated from at least 31 different tick species. the virus is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick, or by direct contact with cchfv-infected patients or the products of infected livestock. this study was undertaken to study the genetic relationship and distribution of cchfv in the tick population of hamadan province of iran.	2010	21178213
characterization of ectoparasites in an urban cat (felis catus linnaeus, 1758) population of rio de janeiro, brazil.	ectoparasites are capable of transmitting infectious diseases and, therefore, are of zoonotic concern. cats submitted to a spay/neuter program in the city of rio de janeiro were examined to determine the distribution of ectoparasites in cats from a city with a tropical climate. independent of gender, breed, or age, 292 cats were combed and subjected to otoscopic examination. ectoparasites were collected, and blood samples were taken to determine packed cell volume. the majority of the 292 cats w ...	2010	21181196
ticks on birds in a forest fragment of brazilian cerrado (savanna) in the municipality of uberlândia, state of minas gerais, brazil.	this is a report of tick species, parasite prevalence and infestation intensity of birds in a forest fragment (18° 56' 57'' s and 48° 12' 14'' w) within the brazilian cerrado (savanna), in the municipality of uberlândia, state of minas gerais, brazil. a total of 162 birds from 26 species were captured. one adult tick, 296 larvae and 67 nymphs were found on passerine birds. of these, it was identified 31 larvae and 27 nymphs of amblyomma longirostre, 17 nymphs of a. nodosum, one a. cajennense lar ...	2010	21184702
what's eating you? rhipicephalus ticks.		2010	21214121
evidence of new pathogenic theileria species in dogs.	babesiosis, caused by tick-borne haematozoan organisms of the genus babesia, is a parasitic disease of domestic and wild mammals. canine babesidae have historically been classified as "large babesia" (babesia canis) and "small babesia" (babesia gibsoni) based on the size of their intraerythrocytic forms. recent publications, however, suggest that the diversity of piroplasm species infecting dogs might be greater than previously appreciated. sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the ssrrna gene ...	2010	21526030
ticks species (ixodida) in the summit municipal park and adjacent areas, panama city, panama.	from september 2007 to september 2009, we studied the species of ticks present in the summit municipal park. ticks were extracted from zoo animals, free-living wild mammals and reptiles trapped, dead mammals on the roads and environment (ground and zoo burrows). a total of 2,649 ticks were collected: 2,167 immature stages (1,345 larvae and 822 nymphs) and 482 adults. seventeen species were identified: ornithodoros puertorricensis (argasidae), amblyomma auricularium, a. cajennense, a. calcaratum, ...	2010	20585838
co-feeding as a route for transmission of rickettsia conorii israelensis between rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks.	rickettsia conorii is widely distributed in europe, asia, and africa. the brown dog tick, rhipicephalus sanguineus, is the recognized vector of r. conorii. in this study, we assessed the efficiency of r. conorii israelensis transmission between co-feeding rh. sanguineus ticks. infected rh. sanguineus adults and uninfected nymphs were fed simultaneously upon either naïve dogs or a dog previously exposed to this agent. when ticks were placed upon naïve dogs, 92-100% of nymphs acquired the infectio ...	2010	20589416